DAN McGILLICUDDY, Plymouth: Boating doesn't need more bureaucracy

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The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

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Posted Jun. 4, 2014 at 11:00 PM
Updated Jun 4, 2014 at 11:06 PM

Posted Jun. 4, 2014 at 11:00 PM
Updated Jun 4, 2014 at 11:06 PM

» Social News

I read your editorial and couldn’t disagree with you more (“Enforce boating safety with proactive policies,” May 30). The answer to the problem you are trying to address is partially boater education, but this is able to be dealt with through existing means such as USPS or Coast Guard Auxiliary courses. No licensing is needed.

Boating operator licensing is not like motor vehicle licensing, as there are many different types and sizes of boats and ability to operate one type doesn’t confer ability to operate others. It would be like licensing someone to drive a car, but letting them operate motorcycles, front-end loaders, tractors or dump trucks. All boater licensing will do is add another monetary burden to the already over-taxed boaters in Massachusetts and allow the state to reach into our wallets again with no corresponding benefit to the people being taxed.

You asked for our favorite boating spot. Mine happens to be the North River which you used as the bogey man example in your editorial. In all my 50-plus years there, I have never seen a boat dismasted there and rarely seen people lose engine power in the river mouth much less be “carried out to the open waters of the Atlantic.”

And guess what? That river mouth has to be one of the most patrolled stretches if something does go wrong. The harbormasters of Scituate and Marshfield are regularly there, the Environmental Police are frequent visitors, as is the local Sea Tow franchisee and the Scituate Coast Guard station is less than a mile north of the river mouth. So if someone does happen to get into trouble they would be hard pressed to do it in a better place to be rescued than there.

The answer to this problem is better education, and better enforcement of the existing laws for those few who break these laws, not an additional burden on everyone.